Coast Guard searches for man who jumped off ferry

NEW YORK — The search was suspended on Friday for a man who jumped off a ferry near Governor's Island.

A number of people reported seeing the man jump off the bow of the Spirit of America ferry around 10:15 p.m. as it cruised near lower Manhattan.

Witnesses on board the ferry told ABC7 Eyewitness News the jumper was a man who leaped when the boat was north of the Statue of Liberty. The Coast Guard said the ship's surveillance video captured the man's jump.

The ferry crew used their own boat to try and locate the person before the Coast Guard, NYPD and FDNY Marine Units, and an NYPD Aviation Unit picked up the search. The Coast Guard said it searched a wide area all night.

The Spirit of America is operated by the Staten Island Ferry, which begins and ends its trips from Staten Island.